[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 34 (Thursday, February 23, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2990-S2991]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE NO DUCK SEASON CANARD

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, it is about time to lay to rest the 
fears of duck hunters across America about the effects of S. 219, the 
Regulatory Transition Act of 1995, on this year's duck hunting season.
  This bill, which would impose a moratorium on all new Federal 
regulations, is an integral part of our regulatory reform agenda. It is 
designed to protect the public from regulatory overzealousness, but 
certainly not at the expense of one of our country's most enjoyable 
pastimes.
  The legislation introduced by Senator Don Nickles, Senator Bond, and 
myself, cosponsored by 36 Members of the Senate, clearly exempts 
regulatory activity if the President finds the action is a routine 
administrative action or principally related to public property 
benefits or contracts.
  No activity of the Federal Government can be considered more routine 
than setting limits on duck bags.
  But, fueled by faulty information and media hype, millions of our 
country's sportsmen are crying foul. We call these tactics the close-
the-Washington-Monument syndrome. The bureaucrats say if you are going 
to do something we do not like we will make the most ridiculous 
decision possible and try to blame you for it.
  The proponents of this legislation have no intention of shooting 
themselves in the foot by losing the support of duck hunters for new 
regulatory common sense in our Federal Government. I have cosponsored 
the Federal regulatory moratorium and am a lead sponsor of the 
moratorium on the Endangered Species Act because they are important 
tools in our fight to protect private property rights and to safeguard 
small businesses and communities throughout the country from excessive 
Government regulation. Ill-conceived regulation curbs economic growth 
and curtails productivity at a significant cost to our taxpayers and it 
costs jobs in America.
  While the moratorium would achieve the desired effect of slowing down 
this 
[[Page S2991]] administration's appetite for Government control of our 
businesses, it certainly is not intended to prevent routine Government 
procedures, or to deprive our citizens of their favorite leisure 
sports. And we have gone out of our way to take care of these concerns.
  While the opponents of these bills are likely to continue to try to 
ruffle the feathers by trying to scare the public, the public's 
interest would be far better served by imposing moratoriums. It will 
prevent further regulatory burdens from being added before this 
Congress can revise current laws, and add common sense to overzealous 
regulations. That is our goal, common sense.
  I think the close-the-Washington-Monument tactics show how little 
common sense there has been in the regulatory climate. The public 
understands one point all too clearly: Regulatory reform is an issue we 
cannot afford to duck.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
Senator from North Dakota is recognized to speak for up to 15 minutes.

                          ____________________